Tips To Help Decide Which Yoga Teacher Training Is Best For You

Are you considering a Yoga Teacher Training? Do you want to become a Yoga teacher and share the gifts that Yoga has given you? Or maybe your intention is to deepen your knowledge and have a better understanding of the practice you have come to love so much. Whatever your reason, this could be a defining moment in your life and will likely be an enriching experience with a whole lot of self discovery and personal growth.

For practical purposes, I will assume you are interested in a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training. This is the entry point for most and covers a broad spectrum from Asana (Postures), Philosophy, History and Sequencing and should create a solid foundation for your your practice and teaching journey.

So you ask yourself…

“How do I decide what Yoga Teacher Training will be the best fit for me?”

Here are a few factors to consider when deciding on a Yoga Teacher Training:

1. What is Yoga Alliance and should that matter when choosing a Yoga School for my TT?

Yoga Alliance is the largest non-profit serving the Yoga community. They have developed a recognized standard to become a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School (RYS®). The following is from the Yoga Alliance website:

The spirit of the Yoga Alliance Standards is to include a school in the RYS® (Registered Yoga School) Directory only when its YTT (Yoga Teacher Training):

Has a definite, pre-defined curriculum that meets the Yoga Alliance Standards.

Is taught by yoga teacher trainers who are qualified to train teachers

Offers a consistent approach that is conducive to depth, rather than a survey of different approaches.

All standards for a RYS are intended to be clear, implementable reflections of the above criteria.

A school whose curriculum satisfies or exceeds our minimum training Standards may apply to register as a RYS.

Once a school is registered, the students who complete their subsequent trainings are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®). Yoga Alliance does not certify teachers or accredit schools. Yoga Alliance’s credentialing system is a directory, not to be confused with other types of credentialing systems (such as certifications, accreditations, licensure, etc.).

If the Yoga School and Training you are choosing is not registered by Yoga Alliance you will not be eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT®).

If a school is not registered with “Yoga Alliance” it doesn’t necessarily mean your training is not a good one it only means the school or teacher decided not to go through the registration process (this could be for personal or philosophical reasons). The School will still issue their own Yoga Teacher Certification specific to their Yoga School.

To be clear- At the completion of your training you will most likely receive a 200-Hour Certification from your Yoga School. Most entry level teaching jobs will ask specifically for a Yoga TT Certificate (which you should get in either situation).

To register with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®) your Yoga School must be registered with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga School (RYS®).

You can not promote yourself as a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher or “RYT®” without a Yoga Alliance Registration.

Most teachers will use the “200-Hour RYT®” credential as part of their bio.

Many studio may prefer to hire teachers who have completed Yoga Alliance Certified Trainings and are RYT® so there is definitely an advantage in the workplace to go through a Yoga Alliance School.

In addition, the continued teaching credentials to become a “300-Hour RYT” or “500-Hour RYT” may be dependent upon your initial 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Registered Training.

2. Where Should I Take My Training?

I will break this one up into two categories, Local TT and Destination TT.

A “Local Teacher Training” is one that is offered in your hometown (or adopted hometown) at a local studio. These trainings are convenient if you want to keep your day job or stay in town and most schedules are set up on the weekends and evenings. These training could last several months and may even be broken up into 2 or more modules and taken at different times of the year.

A “Destination Teacher Training” is one that is offered at a specific far way location that you will become your temporary home. It could be at a Yoga Center in the States, but is usually at a Hotel or Yoga Center in an exotic locale in another country. Typical locations for Destination TT’s include Bali, Costa Rica, Mexican Riviera, Hawaii and India. Locations will be somewhat remote and fully inclusive with very few distractions. This may be an ideal situation to help you focus and immerse more deeply into your training without the usual daily distractions of “life”. Trainings will typically last for 20-30 days and will include food and board (and as a result will tend to be more costly). You will also have to arrange for your own airfare and transportation so factor that in as well.

3. Who Should I Take My Training With?

This may be the most important factor when deciding on a Teacher Training. Who is the Studio or School hosting the training and just as important, who is the teacher or teachers leading the training? Again I will divide this into Local TT and Destination TT as they will vary greatly.

Local Training- Are you already taking classes at a local studio or with a local teacher? This should make your decision quite easy as most studios will offer teacher training throughout the year with some of their teachers. If you have not found a studio or teacher nearby that you resonate with you may want to branch out to other studios in your area. When you find a studio that you “vibe” with check out their Teacher Training schedule and start to take some classes with the teacher or teachers leading the training. This will jumpstart your relationship and comfort level with the teacher when the training begins.

Destination Training – This decision could a bit more difficult to decide. There are so many Teacher Trainings happening all around the world and with so many different Yoga Schools and Teachers.

“Recommendations” are always the first place to start. Maybe you have met a friend or a teacher at a local studio that has a recommendation?

“Research”. Google is always your best friend at this point.

“Online Studio”- You may already be taking classes with an Online Yoga Studio that you enjoy. This would be an ideal situation since you most likely have developed familiarity with their classes, style and teachers.

“The Yoga Collective”- If you are reading this article there is a very good chance you are currently a member of The Yoga Collective. We have been hosting Teacher Trainings for the past 10 years and all of our trainings are Yoga Alliance Certified. We have developed strong relationships through our online Yoga Studio and our Brick & Mortar studio that has been serving Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Venice Beach over the past 10 years. We hold our teachers and teacher trainers to the highest levels. Most of our teachers have been selected from years of familiarity with their teaching style, integrity, dedication to their personal practice and for their joy in sharing the teachings of Yoga. Our primary concern is to create a safe and nurturing space for you to learn the building blocks of Yoga to help create a solid foundation to grow on your journey. And of coarse, to enjoy, have fun and have an experience of a lifetime!

4. When Should I Take My Training?

The simple answer is…Whenever you are ready!

There is no pre-requisite for taking a Teacher Training. It does help if you have been taking some classes and are familiar with some the basic postures and sequences, but not entirely necessary.

The most important deciding factor would be if you are inspired and excited to go deeper into your practice and immerse yourself with a teacher and group of like minded students who are also eager to learn as much as they can about the amazing healing practice we call Yoga.

We hope this article helps clarify your decision and we wish you the best upon your journey.

If you want to look into the upcoming Teacher Trainings at The Yoga Collective, click on our Retreats Section and all of our Teacher Trainings will appear by the date they start.

If you have any questions or need additional information, always feel free to reach out and we will do our best to help guide you on your journey!